House Leadership Blocks ACA Tax Credit Extension This Year, Last-Minute Bipartisan Effort Will Force a Future Vote

12.17.2025 /Statement

WASHINGTON, D.C. - Anthony Wright, executive director of Families USA, issued the following statement after Speaker Johnson shut down a possible vote this week on an extension of the Affordable Care Act enhanced premium tax credits before they expire at the end of the year. Instead, today the Speaker will bring to the floor a health care package that would worsen access and affordability to coverage. As a result of the Speaker's decision, four Republicans joined all House Democrats to trigger a discharge petition that will force a vote on extending the ACA tax credits in January.

"More than 22 million Americans desperately need Congress to prevent a massive premium spike at month's end. But instead of including an extension of the health care tax credits, House Republican leaders chose to move forward with a bill that actually makes things worse.

"With growing numbers of Republicans defecting to a discharge petition for a clean extension, Speaker Johnson should let that vote happen now - before the premium spikes go into effect - rather than wait until January. Every day that Congress delays does damage to the family finances of millions and the health system we all depend on.

"Speaker Johnson's bill offers no relief from the premium spikes - let's not pretend it is any kind of alternative to a clean extension of the ACA tax credits. It does nothing to lower premiums for people buying coverage on their own, provides no help to the millions facing steep premium increases, and fails entirely to extend the tax credits that are set to expire.

"Instead, this bill pushes consumers toward lower-quality coverage that weakens basic consumer protections. It expands Association Health Plans that can exclude essential benefits like hospital care, prescription drugs, maternity care, and mental health services, while sidestepping state oversight that protects consumers from fraud and abuse. These plans siphon off healthier workers, driving up costs for everyone else and leaving older workers, women, and people with health conditions paying more for less. In fact, the Congressional Budget Office estimates this bill will force an additional 100,000 Americans off of their health coverage altogether, further compounding the damage done from pushing 15 million people off of Medicaid and private coverage as a result of H.R. 1's massive cuts and Congress's inaction on premium tax credits.

"The failure to address an extension of the tax credits is so disheartening that it prompted four House Republicans to break with their own leadership and work with Democrats to bring a clean extension of the ACA tax credits to the floor. While that vote is long overdue, it is not too late to finally do the right thing. We urge Members of Congress to stop playing politics with people's health and vote for real affordability solutions."